Published 8:22 am, Tuesday, April 5, 2016

PORTLAND, Maine >> Federal fishing regulators who are hoping to crack down on illegal fishing imports are closing the public comment period on proposed new rules.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has supported changes that would create a new system to collect data about commercial fishing catch. The new rules would also track trips ashore and the chain of custody of fish and fish products imported into the U.S.

NOAA says the information collected under the new standards would help authorities verify that imported fish was lawfully acquired.